House Committee on Energy and Commerce

The U.S. House Committee on Energy and Commerce is one of the oldest standing committees of the U.S. House of Representatives. Established in 1795, it has operated continuously, with the exception of various name changes and jurisdictional changes, for more than 200 years. The only other House standing committees with 200 years of continuous operation are the House Ways and Means Committee and the House Rules Committee. It has served as the principal guide for the House in matters relating to the promotion of commerce and to the public’s health and marketplace interests.

Climate change hearings

The Energy and Commerce Committee's Subcommittee on Energy and Air Quality held a hearing on "Climate Change: Are Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Human Activities Contributing to a Warming of the Planet?" on March 7, 2007. The witnesses as the hearing were

Dr. Michael Oppenheimer, Professor of Geosciences and International Affairs at Princeton University;